It's so great when an online article I'm reading in bed grabs me so much that I jump up ready to blog about it? That just happened after a tweet by @WriteOnTrack_L led me to its new blog post, "The Value of Twitter at Conferences."

The tweet caught my eye because it referenced Tim Cigelske, who manages Marquette University's social media accounts. The writer, Lorna Sixsmith, shares several reasons why she, Cigelske and others support tweeting at conferences. Among them: relaxing the audience; increasing its size; creating more engagement with the speaker or panelists; fostering greater attention from those tweeting, and providing instant feedback via the hashtag.

Sixsmith, a copywriter and social media consultant, also offers other blog posts I think would help my journalism students and journalism educators elsewhere. In "The Power of the Hashtag," she writes about how a targeted word after the # symbol can help summarize an event, bring attention to a particular topic and unite tweeters. I really like that Sixsmith uses tweets with hashtags to help keep notes. "140 characters is perfect for note taking," she writes.

Next we have "Why Tweet at Conferences." Sixsmith discusses in this post the benefits for organizers (free publicity, instant feedback, generate interest, keep attendees happy) and attendees (networking, icebreaking, concentrating, sensitizing, sharing and, my favorite, gaining more followers). There's also "How to Tweet at Conferences," in which Sixsmith gives both sides of the lectern "some tips on how to get it right." They include ensuring the hashtag is visible, wifi is available and working, and speakers' Twitter usernames are given.

Finally, back to Cigelske. Sixsmith tweeted that he inspired her latest post with his compelling "Dealing With a Distracted Audience" article in the July edition of Toastmaster magazine. I wish more speakers in academe would heed the subhead: "Don't be put off by those who text or tweet when you speak." Anyway, Cigelske urges organizers and speakers to embrace live tweeting. "When audiences are involved, they are more engaged," he writes. "You want audiences to become companions as you lead them to the final destination or purpose of your speech."

I couldn't agree more. Many thanks to Sixsmith and Cigelske for their thoughtful offerings.

In a prior blog post about my interaction with recent college graduate Erika J. Glover I promised to reveal what makes a good #twesume, that is, the 160 characters (maximum) that make up your Twitter bio. Well, an aspiring sports broadcaster read the post and quickly emailed me to ask for immediate twesume help. Here it is.

I first heard the term twesume from social media guru Sree Sreenivasan at the Poynter Institute's Teachapalooza conference for journalism educators in June. "Fill out your Twitter bio so it reflects the best, most recent version of you," said Sreenivasan, Columbia University's new chief digital officer. He also said, "I tell my students: Make your Twitter bio blue." Translation: Use Twitter handles and hashtags that can help your bio appear in broad searches.

A quick Google search found this useful Web link: "How a 140-Character Twitter Resume Could Land Your Next Job." Again, a Twitter bio gets 20 more characters than a tweet. Also see "Get Your Twesume On," "Guidelines for Twitter Bios," "How Short Can Your CV Get? Tried a 'Twesume' Yet?" and "How to: Effective Twitter Bios."

Make your 160 characters count! Aspiring journalists: Do your best to use AP style and correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Look how Erika went from "South Carolina born – Pennsylvania tested Reporter/Anchor for the @CentreCountyRep. PSU Alumna/Journalist/Travel Enthusiast" to "2012 @penn_state grad! Aspiring international #journalist seeking first TV reporting job. #NABJ member ready to shoot, edit & write! Purveying #Olympics facts." Which version is more likely to draw more eyes (from recruiters) her way via Twitter and Internet searches?

You can see my twesume at @herbertlowe. I hope you find this post helpful. Please do let me know.

I have shared how my journalism students in the Diederich College of Communication "live tweet" campus events at Marquette University – and use Storify to present their stories afterward. (See "Using Twitter for Journalism Mightily," "'Oh My!' Enberg Lecture Trends" and "Classes Live Tweet #muawards.") Until now, however, I could only tell you about it. Now, thanks to a new web-based tool called Storination, it's much easier to show you.

Storination is still in its infancy; one must request an invite from the entity before using it. I only heard about it thanks to Benet Wilson, chairwoman of the NABJ Digital Journalism Task Force and who students affectionally call "Aunt Benet." As she writes in a task force blog post, "Missed #NABJ? Check Out Storination," the tool "allows you to put all the Storifys from a single event — like #NABJ12 — in one place for folks to read and share." Nice!

The Storination interface is easy to use, though it would be nice to have more flexibility reorder the imported Storifys. Getting cover images to work with text is another challenge; the cover image offered above is OK. Anyway, today I created several storyboards – that's what Storination calls the virtual spaces used to create an online set of Storifys – mostly based on the Twitter hashtags used for the campus events my classes live tweeted en masse.

Check out "Journalism Classes Live Tweet Presidential Inauguration," "Milwaukee Photographer Shares Cuba Perspective," "Hall of Famer Dick Enberg Lectures at Marquette," "Spurlock Speaks at Marquette," "Diederich College Recognizes Five Distinguished Alumni" and "Marquette Journalism Students Live Tweet Campus Events."

Before Storination, I used a web browser to bookmark all the student Storifys. An inelegant option, especially given likely many more to come. Besides, a main reason for students to live tweet and use Storify is so they have more to show afterward than just a 500-word story that only their instructor reads. The new tool should better enable students to compare their efforts and learn from one another. Beyond that, Storination wants users to create an online "nation," where people share social stories on the same topic. Look out soon for the first #loweclass nation!

I recently wrote about my wonderful opportunity to speak about blogging, digital portfolios and social media profiles to dozens of aspiring journalists at the NABJ Convention and Career in New Orleans. Well, one of those attendees wrote me an email a couple of hours afterward that touched me as much as it surprised me.

"The workshop you facilitated this afternoon was amazing. So amazing that it inspired me to instantly enhance my website," wrote Erika J. Glover of South Carolina, who graduated from Penn State University in May after studying broadcast journalism and international studies. "Of course, I understood the importance of utilizing social media and other software to expand my scope and influence. Yet, it was not until I heard you speak that I realized its actual significance." Erika also said "my dream, rather, my destiny is to become an international reporter." She added: "My hope is that I can maintain contact with you throughout my career" and "currently, my focus is on my job hunt." 

So what surprised me? I remembered this young woman seeming inattentive during the NABJ session. I asked why upon calling Erika without warning on Tuesday. She said she was contemplating what she had and had not learned at Penn State. No worries, I said. What matters is what happened henceforth. "I am prepared to invest in you 100 percent," I told her, if she was prepared to invest in me the same. Erika replied matter-of-factly, "I am."

The next day, July 4, we spoke for two hours! We discussed everything from what she learned at the convention to her creating a LinkedIn profile to her using the same portrait across social media platforms to tweeting smartly with hashtags and by the one-third rule: 33 percent information, 33 percent news and 33 percent personal. We also focused on her "twesume" – that is, the 160 characters (maximum) that make up her Twitter bio. (Here's more about what makes a good twesume.) We also talked about the importance of using AP style and correct grammar, spelling and punctuation in her tweets, so she demonstrates that she can write effectively.

Erika also shared that she was shadowing reporters at a television station in Columbia. She was happy to be alongside professionals daily and getting help with her resume tape. We spoke about creating a digital portfolio that could best present her aspirations, experience and potential to news directors and recruiters. I'm looking forward to our interaction and hope it becomes part of my independent study for graduate school. More importantly, I'm eager to learn that Erika has found her first reporting job. It will touch me, no doubt. It certainly will not surprise me.

Sixty aspiring journalists from across the country sat before me in a hotel ballroom yesterday on the first day of the 37th NABJ convention in New Orleans. These NABJ student members immediately impressed me and one another with their poise and enthusiasm during the roll-call introduction. Any recruiter sitting across a career-fair table would likely, at first glance, rush to help them along their career path. But what about weeks or months from now, when they are all back at school, or have just graduated, and there's only one job or internship available, and they must connect with a recruiter who has dozens or scores of applications and precious little time to sort through them all?

NABJ Student Representative Wesley Lowery and convention planners Benet Wilson and Monique Fields asked me to lead a "learning lab" we titled "Branding U: The Student Edition." It's an honor and privilege to present at NABJ so I quickly said yes. The convention program promised: "Sending a resume and cover letter through the mail is so yesterday. Job seekers need an electronic portfolio. This three-hour workshop will give participants strategies for using cutting-edge applications to develop a virtual resume. The session also will offer tips for using Twitter and Facebook to promote a brand, and on creating an action plan that will have recruiters banging on the door."

Basically, I sought to share what I strive to teach my journalism students in the Diederich College of Communication. My presentation focused on, among other things, blogging, digital portfolios, social media profiles, live tweeting and curating, melding personal and professional and networking. I stressed that they all must take advantage of the many ways to demonstrate electronically – preferably from one hyperlink! – their success at telling stories across multiple platforms. I also wanted to inspire them to share what they learned with their friends at school who couldn't attend.

Two points: 1) The Law of Magnetism (from John Maxwell) – Who You Are Is Who You Attract! and 2) from me, trying to capture the recruiter's mindset, How You Represent You Is How You Will Represent Me!

After my presentation, three newsroom recruiters shared awesome tips on how students and graduates can distinguish themselves and best get an interview and or that first or next opportunity. Speaking of digital portfolios, Irv Harrell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch told the students, emphasizing my second point above, "It's your mission statement to the recruiter. I want to know what you're going to be able to do for me." Walter Middlebrook of the Detroit News said: "You got 60 seconds to make an impression on someone. If I don't like what I see in 60 seconds, you've lost a sale." Paula Bouknight of the Boston Globe added that "your website should be where you further the conversation," that is, it should not merely offer what is already on or better suited for a LinkedIn profile.

I hope during the summer to offer new posts on this blog that focus on other aspects of my presentation. For now, I invite students (and faculty) everywhere to check out these prior posts: "Covering the Student Cover Letter" and "119 Tips for Journalism Interviews." Many thanks to all the students who said they got a lot out of my presentation.

Twelve Diederich College students spent the spring 2012 semester focusing on how media report on national, state and local elections and campaigns in a journalism seminar that my colleague, James Scotton, and I co-taught. The class went OK for its first iteration – I haven't read the course evaluations yet :-) – particularly when we had guest speakers (Sharif Durhams, Charles Franklin, Mike Gousha and David Umhoefer). The students also covered the Wisconsin primary election and visited local television stations for an assignment focusing on campaign fundraising.

One of the 12 students is now part of another dozen. Diederich sophomore Tessa Fox is among "The 12," a talented collection of student journalists in that many battleground states documenting the 2012 presidential election and capturing perspectives of young voters. It's a fantastic opportunity for Fox, an aspiring journalist who next year will be the Viewpoints editor for The Marquette Tribune and a reporter for the Marquette Journal.

"Together, we will curate multimedia on Tumblr to strike a discussion about various political issues in the election," Fox wrote about the initiative on her own blog. "The Tumblr account will be featured on PostPolitics.com and promoted throughout the election. I am extremely excited to see my work be linked directly to WashingtonPost.com."

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to teaching the journalism seminar again in the fall. This time it should be even better because, well, the general election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will be much more exciting than the less-than-inspiring primary contest between Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. I made sure the fall class was scheduled on days when Gousha will likely host newsmakers on his "On the Issues" program.

My students may not get as close to the action in the fall as did the lucky campaign embeds that really interested my students a few weeks ago. But here's hoping they will be as inspired as Fox and the rest of The 12.

When Marquette University named NBA coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers its 2012 Alumnus of the Year, I set about having a few of my students "live tweet" the gala awards dinner on April 28. Unfortunately, I couldn't persuade the powers that be to let that happen. But, fortunately, Dean Lori Bergen enabled even more of my students to live tweet the Diederich College of Communication's awards brunch that morning. (Please see my previous posts on live tweeting: "Using Twitter for Journalism Mightily" and "'Oh My!' Enberg Lecture Trends.") 

The brunch being a Saturday affair, I required all 14 students in my Digital Journalism (JOUR 1100) I course to participate, and invited those in my other classes who had not fulfilled their semester's live-tweet assignments. The dean and I considered the event an opportunity for them to showcase what they are learning to alumni, and to expose these aspiring journalists and communicators to those who have had wonderful careers after leaving Johnston Hall.   

The honorees included Kathryn Zahony Livingston, Steven Bertrand, Lisa Osborne Ross, Jason DeRusha and Christopher Pardon. Bertrand, Ross and I attended the then-College of Journalism at Marquette in the '80s, and I enjoyed reconnecting with her and MU about the same time a few years ago when we both worked in Washington. The students clearly enjoyed learning about each alumni's experiences in Johnston and beyond. "This wonderful ceremony has me feeling inspired," junior Emily Pettinger tweeted while also using the two required hashtags: #MUAwards, and for her class, #JOUR1100. Sophomore Joe Kvartunas tweeted: "Touching moment here at table 2. Mrs. Ross is tearing up on stage while her family is beaming with pride. #muawards #JOUR1550."

As is always the case when my classes live tweet a campus event, #muawards soared to trending status in Milwaukee on Twitter! Afterward, for their homework assignment, each JOUR 1100 student and most of the others had to create a Storify – curating, of course, from all the tweets and related digital media, and crafting sufficient text for context. They didn't seem to mind, however, when they got to meet Rondell Sheridan, the MU alumnus and actor/director/comedian they know best as Victor Baxter, the father from Disney's sitcom "That's So Raven."

One more thing: the bowtie. For some reason, freshman Christopher Chavez declared in class that all of the men should wear one to the event. He only found two takers, Patrick Leary, a fellow first-year student, and me. Problem is I had never tied a bowtie. My wife typically handles that duty but was 100 miles away. Thank goodness for YouTube! A video helped me figure it out! Not before, though, my students tweeted about me being late to the ceremony.

Must one explain himself for telling the truth? Today, it appears necessary here. This morning WISN-TV's Marianne Lyles interviewed me for a segment tonight about the Social Media Tourism Symposium. Milwaukee and El Paso, Texas, are the finalists to host the event, and Lyles wanted my professorial perspective on the power of social media. (Remember, the Marquette Journal recently named me one of the university's Top 5 tweeters.) 

My tweets are linked to my Facebook newsfeed, and it got a "like" from my good friend, John Yearwood. About the same time, though, I updated my status with the following 39 words: "Mira Lowe and I spent time yesterday afternoon deciding from 32 names for a baby girl. The final four: Gabriella, Adrianna, Sophia and Nora. Gabriella beat Sophia to become the winner. As usual, Mira ended up getting her way." Then I went to three back-to-back meetings.

Seven hours later, well, here's another example of the power of social media. This particular post so far has 55 likes and 58 comments. Apparently, all these folks – our families, friends from NABJ and various newsroom stomping grounds, my Marquette students and colleagues – have concluded that my wife and I are expecting a baby. It's also clear that Gabriella is a very popular name, though some of our friends and my students want theirs reconsidered.

All of the comments showered us with love and well wishes (for example, "Beautiful news. Thanks for sharing": mentor Monte Trammer). Some were dramatic ("OMG! Literally have some tears right now, I'm so so so happy to hear this news; Gabriella couldn't be coming to better parents": student Marissa Evans). At least one was threatening (Yay, a baby! Congratulations! This better NOT be a Friday the 13th joke": journalism stalwart Sonya Ross.

Meanwhile, my cell phone is blowing up, and Mira – hers was, too – is texting me nonstop, with one saying that "you need to come clean about the maelstrom you have started!!! Lawdy." Another text: "We either need to get a puppy named Gabriella or get pregnant fast. Running out of options ... lol." Problem is, I'm in those back-to-back meetings, which turned out to be good because it gave me time to figure out ... how to tell the truth about telling the truth.

OK, honest to goodness, Mira and I did spend time yesterday afternoon deciding from 32 names for a baby girl. A colleague and his wife are expecting another child in May and there's this little effort seeking input for choosing their daughter's name. Not sure how it works, but I called upon Mira to choose between the names. Plain and simple.

Thought it was notable and so I posted it on Facebook. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Linda Menck, the advertising professional in residence and one of my graduate school instructors in the Diederich College of Communication, offered me an amazing opportunity just before my Digital Journalism I class last week: Joining my undergraduate students join with her graduate Emerging Media students to witness a presentation from Daria Kempka, a Marquette University web producer who knows plenty about digital publishing and multimedia.

"I'm really excited to be here tonight because I love what I do and I love sharing it," Kempka said at the start. She then sought to assure those students wondering if they can actually make a living as a journalist. "If you are a writer, and you can express an idea ... you will probably find work somewhere," she said. "That skill is in demand."

Kempka stressed that it's important to be good at shifting given that the latest in multimedia and digital publishing changes so rapidly. Don't get too attached to particular tactics or tools, she said, adding that the industry will always need people who can do these simple things: listen, look, show, tell, imagine and make.

From there, Kempka spent a lot of time talking about how she and colleagues at the Marquette Office of Marketing and Communication have worked to develop and redevelop the university's mobile applications. "It all starts with these drawings and getting feedback, feedback, feedback," she said while showing showing examples of the applications' first iterations. Hearing from others can be scary, but it's better to figure out mistakes early and not wait until too many resources have been assigned and expensive outside developers have been hired, she said.

My JOUR 1100 class heard the first part of Kempka's presentation; each student is to write a 400-word column or editorial about what they thought of it by this Wednesday. After a break, the graduate students and Kempka – she is pursuing a master's degree herself, actually – spent time discussing what makes a delightful or horrible interactive experience on the Web or a mobile device. Some delightful mobile app examples shared by the class included those by or featuring Flipboard, Walgreens, Under Armour, eBay, Clear, Alice in Wonderland, Martha Stewart and Dropbox.

"I have received amazing feedback from students – "best presentation ever!" Menck told Kempka in an email afterward. "You hit this one out of the ballpark." I wholeheartedly agree. So insightful. So inspiring.